Foreign Body Aspiration Mimicking Congenital Lobar Emphysema

Abstract

Introduction: Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a rare malformation of lung development which may be the cause of respiratory insufficiency of the suckling child. Patients often present within the first 6 months of life with recurrent respiratory distress. Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood. Foreign body aspiration should be thought in patients who have a history of recurrent lower respiratory infections and resistance to treatment. Case Report: We report a case of 16 month old girl with FBA mimicking CLE. She was suffering for persistan respiratory symptoms and radiological finding was maintaned as the difference between two sides of the lungs aeration for 11 months. Conclusion: In the acute and chronic period of FBA, the radiological finding can be different between two sides of the lungs aeration and this finding sometimes might suggest CLE in infancy. (Jo­ur­nal of Cur­rent Pe­di­at­rics 2012; 10: 70-3)

Keywords

• Congenital lobar emphysema
• foreign body aspiration
• child